The present invention is directed toward a litter box shell and, more particularly, to such a litter box shell that is designed to receive one or more litter boxes therein and prevent litter from exiting the same.
Litter boxes are provided for the normal daily care of indoor cats. Litter boxes typically include a bottom wall, opposing side and end walls, and an open top. Before use, litter, which is comprised of a plurality of loose granular particles, is poured into the litter box. An undesirable consequence associated with most litter boxes is that cats often kick litter over the walls of the litter box and onto the floor both before and after use. Accordingly, the pet owner is constantly picking up the loose particles of litter that have been scattered on the floor. Furthermore, many cats are exceedingly shy and are uncomfortable with using a completely open litter box while people are present.
In recognition of the foregoing, closed litter boxes have been proposed that include a bottom wall, encircling side walls which extend upwardly from the bottom wall, and a top cover portion. At least one of the side walls has an opening formed therein for allowing a cat to enter or exit the litter box. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,940,016, 5,129,364, 5,178,100, 5,211,134 and U.S. Design Pat. Nos. 248,333 and 276,752. Such litter boxes are effective in reducing the amount of litter that can be thrown from the same. However, most cats do not prefer closed litter boxes because odors get trapped therein and cats are very clean, particular animals. Furthermore, it is difficult to clean these substantially closed boxes.
Litter boxes have also been proposed that include a bottom wall, an open top, and two or three walls of a height sufficient to somewhat reduce the amount of litter that can be thrown from the same. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,310,031, 3,890,931, U.S. Design Pat. No. 203,929 and an advertisement in the October 1995 issue of Cats. While the higher side walls in each of these proposed litter boxes may lessen the amount of litter that could be scattered onto the floor by a cat, each has an opening formed in at least one of the walls which is large enough to allow a significant amount of litter to be kicked from the litter box. Another problem associated with these litter boxes is that they are cumbersome to lift and transport when it is time to remove old litter therefrom and clean the interior of the same.